Nothing can be more annoying than sitting down to relax and hearing the phone ring. If the phone call is from your best friend to see how you are, that’s not so bad. But if the person on the other end of the line is a stranger asking you personal questions, one’s blood pressure can instantly rise. However, residents of Madison County, Kentucky (and surrounding counties) are going to all have their phones ring on Tuesday, January 26, 2010 in an event planned by the county Emergency Management Agency/Chemical Stockpile Emergency Preparedness Program.
A Madison County EMA/CSEPP public information officer will be calling homes to conduct a survey about how well the residents know about the EMA/CSEPP’s services and how to access them should a disaster strike. The Richmond Register states the survey, which was conducted 5-years-ago, will help raise awareness about how the county can help its residents and see how much they know about emergency preparedness. The information gathered in the survey, which should only take a few minutes, will also help the EMA/CSEPP build upon their outreach and educational efforts.
For more information about this survey, call the Madison County EMA/CSEPP office at 624-4787.
Animals are affected by disasters. One may remember the hundreds of stranded, lost, and homeless pets seen in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Many families prepare an emergency disaster plan, but not all of them remember to include their pets in these plans.
In the wake of recent hurricane and storm news, The American Red Cross advises the following when it comes to pets and emergency preparedness:
Learn first aid for pets.
Remember: if it is not safe for a human to stay in an area where there is a disaster, it will not be safe for an animal either. Learn which hotels in the evacuation areas allow pets and keep in mind that most emergency shelters for humans will not allow pets unless they are service animals.
Make a list of kennels, vets, and friends or family that can care for a pet in the event of a disaster. Have a copy of the pet’s vaccinations handy in case a pet needs to be boarded.
Run evacuation drills in a calm manner so a pet can calmly follow the routine.
Make an emergency disaster kit for the pet that includes a leash, pet carrier, food, water, bowls, any medications, a picture of the pet, a first aid kit, important pet phone numbers, and toys.
If there is a warning for severe weather, keep the pet indoors so he does not get lost, and make sure he is ready to go if there is an evacuation.
Many of us have already heard of putting “ICE” in our cell phones, address books, PDA’s, etc. ICE stands for: In Case of Emergency. Next to “ICE”, one is to place the name and phone number of an emergency contact. This is useful for emergency service workers, doctors, civil servants, etc. should they need to call an emergency contact person and one is not able to communicate this information.
There is also a free tool that helps with this type of service; it’s the Next of Kin Registry(NOKR). NOKR’s website states:
“NOKR is the central depository for Emergency Contact information in the United States.
…NOKR provides the public a free proactive service to store your emergency contacts, next of kin and vital medical information that would be critical to emergency response agencies. Stored information is only accessible via a secure area that is only accessible by emergency public trust agencies that have registered with NOKR.”
NOKR has registration forms that can be filled and submitted via fax, US mail, or online. They also provide free decals for ID cards, driver’s licenses, passports, etc. that let others know your emergency contact information can be found with NOKR.
FEMA administrator, Craig Fugate, announced recently the agency will create a group that will focus on the needs of children during times of an emergency called “Children’s Working Group”.
“The working group will allow FEMA and its partners to explore and implement planning and response strategies specific to children throughout the agency and ensure that during a disaster the unique needs of children are not only considered, but fully integrated into how FEMA administers this support to states and the public.”
FEMA will work with the National Commission on Children and Disasters and will focus on helping plan appropriate evacuation plans that will include topics about sheltering and relocating children. Childcare centers, child welfare programs, and schools will also be included in this plan.
“The Bush administration rewrote this national disaster plan after Hurricane Katrina. The new 82-page plan, issued in January 2008, does not include the word ‘children,’ but it does mention pets. That plan, however, is supplemented by more than 200 pages of annexes, which do address children’s needs, though not in depth.”
The following links have been created by FEMA for children, parents, and teachers:
April 19-April 25, 2009 is the official Severe Weather Awareness Week in Grand Junction, Colorado. A new severe weather topic will be highlighted every day during the course of the event. Topics discussed will include tornadoes, flash floods, lightning, hail, and strong winds. The schedule of event follows:
Facilitators at this event will also help families make a severe weather emergency preparedness plan. Officials will also have a chance to test vital communications and emergency means of communication.
